When you think of Longchamp, it’s likely that you think of their iconic Le Pliage tote bag, I know I do. Traditionally made of nylon and leather trim straps, the Le Pliage tote is one of the most easily identifiable bags on the market and arguably one of the most popular as well. I see this bag more often than any other bag out in the wild, rivaled only by the Louis Vuitton Neverfull. Because of the popularity of Longchamp’s Le Pliage tote, I am guilty of associating the brand solely with that particular style, letting their other designs fall by the wayside.
I recently fell in love with Longchamp’s Cavalcade bag, a leather crossbody with striking hardware. I spotted it online and wouldn’t have guessed it was a Longchamp bag, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was a design from the French brand and is reasonably priced at $520. I decided to do a deep dive into the Longchamp website and was surprised by how striking and beautiful many of their designs are! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always liked the Le Pliage tote, but it wouldn’t have occurred to me to check out their leather bags before. I am so glad I came across the Cavalcade bag because it forged a new opinion for me on the brand and the classic designs available.
After looking into the brand a little bit more, I learned that Longchamp got its start when it was founded in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain. Originally Longchamp was known for selling luxury smoking pipes that were designed with fine leather. That’s right, Longchamp originally began as a luxe smoking product line. I didn’t know that piece of Longchamp’s history and found it to be a fascinating (and surprising!) piece of information. After successfully cementing itself as a go-to company for leather-covered pipes, Longchamp expanded its products by offering small leather goods and eventually expanded into clothing, bags, and shoes and evolved into the company we all know today.
Of course, Longchamp’s Le Pliage is a staple in any wardrobe, but you should definitely check out their leather bags if you haven’t done so already. I rounded up a few of my favorites, but make sure to check them out if you’re in the market for a new bag. The craftsmanship is there and the price is right.
Longchamp Small Cavalcade Leather Crossbody Bag ($520)
Longchamp Roseau Essential Medium Leather Shoulder Tote Bag ($695)
Longchamp Veau Leather Backpack ($630)
Longchamp La Voyageuse Bag($1,095)
Longchamp Medium Leather Shoulder/Crossbody Bag ($795)
Longchamp Le Foulonne Small Crossbody Bag ($395)
Whoop whoop! About time for some LC love! <3
The leather bags are amazing - I own 5 at the moment. Especially the Le Foulonne line is just perfect for those who really put their bags through a lot. That said, even the Le Pliage Cuir leather is very tolerant and durable. I've used my Medium Cuir for travel and work, it's over 5 yrs old now and I've just sent it to repairs for color treatment. That's all it needs (the corners wear more just like the nylon LP's) and the price for repairs is really reasonable. The cost is 20 €.
For LP nylon one must not forget that while they are somewhat pricey for nylon bags, Longchamp will repair the corners for free once and after that it costs pennies to have it done again. LC also takes responsibility for their quality and will do repairs for older bags as well.
PS. The backpack is Le Foulonne and the pink pretty medium shoulder bag is the Medium Amazone. =)
Hi! Did you send your medium cuir for color treatment through Longchamp? I have a small one in black that is about same age as yours.
Yes, went to the boutique and told them what I wanted done. They sent the bag to France, it takes abt 8 weeks to get it back. If there’s no boutique near you you might want to contact LC and ask them what to do. =)
Thank you for the info. I have their boutique in my city but it never occurred to me they provide this service, I guess I underestimated the brand!
Nordstrom’s website shows the Longchamp Small Leather Crossbody Bag for $695, and it’s lovely. What I like is the website highlights the interior and showcases actual items that can fit inside, which is very helpful.
I own 3 of their leather bags: a pliage cuir small (my favorite work satchel); Le foulonne backpack (my favorite travel bag) and a crossbody bag in addition to a nylon pliage. Undoubtedly my best and favorite bags! They are so well made, well priced, last forever and are super lightweight. Can’t say enough good things about them
Longchamp has great bags. And they used to make them all in France. Sadly, those days are over. 🙁